After scoring close to the top among all Massachusetts school districts for the past few years, the 2004 MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) results, released last month, held a few surprises for the Carlisle Public School. While many scores remained stellar, math scores for the fourth grade dropped significantly from previous years' levels, ...more

The First Religious Society church bell struck
ten as it called the flock to Sunday morning worship, but some folks in
Carlisle flocked instead to the Town Hall to participate in Planning Day
II. Coffee and pastries from Ferns Country Store provided sustenance and
the Benfield Task Force promised salvation in the form of affordable housing
and active recreation. ...more

How to be an informed, efficient
voter in 12 easy steps

by Priscilla Stevens

· Notify the Town Clerk's office of any change
in residence and register to vote at Town Hall by October 13 at
8 p.m.

· Make your decisions ahead of time: fill
out the Mosquito's sample ballot or make a list to bring with you
to the polls.

· If you cannot vote in Town Hall on November
2, obtain an absentee ballot from Town Hall and submit it to the
Town Clerk's office no later than November 1 at noon.

· If you are a first-time voter, or if you
have reason to believe your eligibility or registration is in question
or incomplete, bring a picture I.D. with you to the polls.

· Try to arrange to carpool to the polls,
or choose a less busy time during the day. Park in designated areas,
or as far away as possible and walk.

· Do not wear campaign clothing or buttons,
and do not carry any campaign materials with you into the polls.
All campaign materials must be kept 150 feet away from the polling
room.

· When you enter the polling place, face the
entrance checker and announce in order: your street, your house
number, and your name.

· After you receive your ballot, please do
not talk to anyone until it is cast.

· Take your ballot and proceed directly to
a voting cubicle. Mark the appropriate boxes with an "X."

· Proceed to the exit checker and state in
order: your street, your house number, and your name.

· Cast your ballot in the box, where it will
be wound in by the "town crank," and exit the polling
room.

· If you are parked in the Town Hall lot,
please exit quickly so that others may use the parking space.